1. Field
Embodiments relate to an aromatic ring-containing compound for a resist underlayer and a resist underlayer composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reducing a size of structural shapes in the microelectronics industry and other related industries, including the manufacture of microscopic structures (e.g., micromachines and magneto-resist heads), may be desirable. In the microelectronics industry, reducing a size of microelectronic devices in order to provide a number of circuits in a given chip size may be desirable.
Effective lithographic techniques may be useful in achieving a reduction in the size of structural shapes.
A lithographic process may involve the following processes. First, a resist may be coated on an underlying material and may be subjected to exposure to irradiation to form a resist layer. Then, the resist layer may be subjected to development to provide a patterned resist layer; and the underlying material exposed in the patterned resist layer may be etched to transfer a pattern into the underlying material. After completion of the transfer, remaining portions of the resist layer may be removed.
However, the resist may not provide resistance to the etching step to an extent that is sufficient to effectively transfer the desired pattern to the underlying material. In a case in which an extremely thin resist layer is used, an underlying material to be etched is thick, a large etching depth is needed, or a particular etchant is used depending on the type of underlying material, a resist underlayer may be used.
The resist underlayer may act as an intermediate layer between the resist layer and the underlying material that to patterned by transfer from the patterned resist. The resist underlayer may receive the pattern from the patterned resist layer and may withstand etching required to transfer the pattern to the underlying material.